Device having data signal transmission over power line

Abstract

A system includes a power source and a plurality of modules, where each module has a control for controlling a function of the module and a user input actuatable by a user. The plurality of modules are electrically connected in series with a power conductor electrically connected between each adjacent module, where the power source provides power to each module over the power conductor. In response to actuation by the user of the user input on a select module of the plurality of modules, the control of the select module generates a control signal that is transmitted to each other module over the power conductor, such that the control of each other module controls the associated function in the same manner as the select module.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising:
 a power source; 
 a plurality of modules, wherein each module comprises a control for controlling a function of the module and a user input actuatable by a user; 
 wherein the plurality of modules are electrically connected with a power conductor electrically connected between each adjacent module, wherein the power source provides power to each module over the power conductor; 
 wherein, responsive to actuation by the user of the user input on a select module of the plurality of modules, the control of the select module controls the function of the select module and generates a control signal, and wherein the control signal is transmitted from the select module to each other module of the plurality of modules over the power conductor in parallel; and 
 wherein the control of each other module of the plurality of modules, responsive to receiving the control signal, controls the associated function in the same manner as the function of the select module. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of modules comprises a plurality of lighting modules, and wherein each lighting module comprises a light element operable to emit light, and wherein the control controlling the function of the module comprises controlling the light element. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the control controls at least one of an illumination intensity and a color temperature of the light emitted by the lighting element. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the power source provides DC power to each module. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein each module comprises filtering, and wherein the filtering filters the control signal from the DC power provided to the module, and wherein the filtering filters the DC power from the control signal provided to the control. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control signal are transmitted over the power conductor using a serial protocol. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the serial protocol comprises a half-duplex asynchronous serial protocol. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the power conductor comprises a cable. 
     
     
       9. A lighting module comprising:
 a power cable configured to transmit power to the lighting module and configured to electrically connect to at least one other lighting module in series; 
 a lighting element operable to emit light; 
 a user input actuatable by a user; 
 a control operable, responsive to actuation by the user of the user input, to control the lighting element; and 
 wherein, the control, responsive to actuation by the user of the user input, transmits a control signal from the lighting module over the power cable to a plurality of other lighting module connected in series to the lighting module. 
 
     
     
       10. The lighting module of  claim 9 , wherein the control controls at least one of an illumination intensity and a color temperature of the emitted light. 
     
     
       11. The lighting module of  claim 9 , comprising filtering, wherein the filtering filters control signals from DC power provided to the lighting module and wherein the filtering filters DC power from the control signals provided to the control. 
     
     
       12. The lighting module of  claim 9 , wherein the control signal is transmitted over the power cable using a serial protocol. 
     
     
       13. The lighting module of  claim 12 , wherein the serial protocol comprises a half-duplex asynchronous serial protocol. 
     
     
       14. The lighting module of  claim 13 , wherein the serial protocol comprises USB, RS-422, or RS-485. 
     
     
       15. The lighting module of  claim 9 , wherein the serial protocol comprises I2C or SPI. 
     
     
       16. A method comprising:
 connecting a plurality of lighting modules in series with a power conductor electrically connected between each adjacent lighting module, wherein a power source provides power to each lighting module over the power conductor; 
 actuating a user input on a select lighting module of the plurality of lighting modules to control a lighting element of the select lighting module and generate a control signal; 
 transmitting the control signal from the select lighting module to each other lighting module of the plurality of lighting modules over the power conductor in parallel; and 
 controlling the lighting element of each other lighting module to emit light in the same manner as the lighting element of the select lighting module in responsive to receiving the control signal from the select lighting module. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein controlling the lighting element comprises controlling at least one of an illumination intensity and a color temperature of the light emitted by the lighting element. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , wherein transmitting the control signal comprises transmitting with a serial protocol selected from the group consisting of: USB, I2C, SPI, RS-422, or RS-485. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the power source provides DC power to each lighting module over the power conductor, and wherein the power conductor comprises a cable. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 16 , comprising filtering the power to separate the power and the control signal.